Combined mixing unit and hose rack



Oct. 2, 1951 f w. c. JAEGLE ET Ax. 2,569,857

COMBINED MIXING UNIT AND HOSE.' RACK Filed March 6, 1946 W/LLIAM C- JAEGLE DIETRICK STRAHMAN @51%, www CMA ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 2, 1951 2,569,857 COMBINED MIXING UNIT AND HOSE RACK William C. Jaegle, Hicksville, N. Y., and Dietrick Strahman,

Livingston,

N. J., assignors' to Klingerit Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March s, 1946, serial No. 652,368

This invention relates to fluid mixing devices and particularly to a unit for mixing fluids prior to delivery to a hose or the like.

An important object of this invention is to provide an improved mixing unit adapted to be mounted on a Wall or other support which efliciently mixes fluids prior to delivery to a hose used for cleaning purposes.Y Another object of this invention is to provide a novel fluid mixing device especially adapted for use in industrial plants and which is constructed to prevent the backing up of any of the fluids delivered thereto and which is self-adjustable in the event the delivery lines to the unit are not in parallel relationship. A further object of this invention is to provide an improved mixing device of this character which is constructed for efficient and long service and provides positiveand complete mixing of the fluids. A further object of this invention is to provide a novel combination of mixing unit and hose rack, utilizing as a feature thereof the same means for mounting the unit on a Wall for also supporting the hose rack on the unit.

This invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. In the claims, as Well as in the description, parts are at times identified by speciflc means for clarity and convenience, but such nomenclature isV to be understood as having the broadest meaning consistent with the context and with the concept of the invention as distinguished from the pertinent prior art. The best form in which We have contemplated applying our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a mixing unit and hose rack assembly embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the mixing device of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View of the construction for attaching the hose rack to the unit and for mounting the unit on a Wall or other support.

Z Claims. (Cl. 13T- 111) For use in industrial plants, such as in dairies,

it is preferred to mount the assembly upon a wall or other support, and preferably for reasons of cleanliness and health vto mount the assembly in spaced relation to the wall. The complete assembly includes a fluid mixing device having inlets for receiving fluids of different characteristics, an outlet shaped to connect a hose thereto, and a rack for supporting a hose. Fluids, such as hot Water and cold water, or steam and cold water, may be delivered to the device for intermixture therein prior to Adelivery to the hose. The whole assemblage mounted upon a wall may be referred Ito as a hose station.

`member 22.

The assembly comprises in general atubular body of bifurcated or Y-shaped configuration indicated at Il) in Fig. 1 in which the fluids are mixed prior to delivery to a hose. The two branches of the bifurcated body serve as fluid inlet passages and the` base or trunk portion of the body serves as a mixing chamber and discharge outlet. A hose rack I2 is attached to the body. The rack is preferably formed by bending` a single elongated rod intermediate its ends to forma cradlefor receiving and supporting a coiled hose and having the ends of the rod attached to the body. The same means which attaches the hose rack to the body also serves `to mount the body upon a wall.

Referring more specifically to the'drawings, the bifurcated body ID preferably consists `of a main tubular element I4 `of` bifurcated, of Y-shaped formation tothe base or trunk portion of which is attached a smaller tubular element I6. The latter is lpreferably detachably secured to the main body member I4 by threaded engagement thereto as shown in Fig. 2; and a gasket or other suitable means (not shown) may be employed to make the connection lluidtight. ,Theltwo body members, I4 and I6, together form the fluid mixing and delivery device generally indicated at Ill in Fig. 1.

The main bifurcated element I4 is preferably cast in the tubular formation` illustrated and is preferably formed of bronze. Cast integrally Withthe main body vmember I4 aretwo correspondingly shaped flanges or ears I8, I8 on either side of the base portion and a` third similarly shaped flange or ear 20 located above the juncture of the two branches of the body. These flanges are arranged substantially in the same plane, and each is apertured to receive a bolt As shown in Fig. 3, each bolt member extends into a Wall 24 or other form of support and by this means the assembly is mounted in elevated position above the floor. For sanitary and health reasons, the assembly is mounted in spaced relation to the Wall. This is accomplished by the provision of suitable spacers on the bolt members between the flanges and the wall, such as the sleeve 26 and washer 28 shown in Fig. 3.

As previously mentioned, the hose rack is secured to the mixing device-by the same means which mounts the device upon the wall. Thread.- edly received on each end of the rod I2 forming the rack is a connector 30 having an aperture therethrough extending perpendicularly into the end of the rod. The two bolt members which extend through the flanges I8, I8 also ex- VApassage.

"limits of the mixing chamber 34. Ysion -formsa prolongation of Vthe steam inlet `,'passagellland steam conveyed therethrough is .prevented vfrom Aintermixture with the water vided on the reduced end portion for detachably coupling a hose thereto, such as the provision of external threads 38 therearound. The `wall of 4 54' are correspondingly shaped, and each is provided with a valve stemindicated respectively at 56 and 56' mounted for reciprocating movement in apertured supports or spiders 5B and 56' respectively. A coil spring 60 or 66 enclosing its vrespective valvestem ,-yieldingly urges the valve 'heads'into engagement with thefvalve seats indithe mixing chamber 34 is convergingly shaped to direct the mixed fluids -to the discharge outlet 36.

The two branches 40 and 43 of the bifurcatedv body member I4 are provided with passages cated respectively at 62 Yand 62. The direction .in which these valves are urged by their respective springs is counter to the iiow of fluid, and itis-evident that -the valves will close upon their respective seats before any return flow of fluid --OCCuI'S.

' Y VFrequently-the-pipe lines Which are to deliver the fluids to the inlet passages 44 and 46 are not in exact` parallel relationship.Y To accomwhich open out through the upper extremities of the branches and extend downwardly to thel A.juncture of the branches to the base or trunk .portion .42 .of the body. .One such passage .is in- `dicated a't '44 and is referred to as the steam inflet passage. `The other such passage is indicated lat 46 and is referred to as the water inlet vwater inlet passage Y46.

"l'hebranch 40,0f .the bifurcated body member I4 lprovided at .the juncture thereof to the -.trunk Iportion 42V-with v a tubular extension 56 whichjprojects into the ,passage 48 and downwardly rtherein substantially asfar as the upper This exten- 'flowing tinthe passage 48 until both fluids enter fthemixing. chamber. .As shown in Fig. 2, the

tubular extension '.50 has an outside dimension .less thanthat ofthe passage V48 and is .disposed in spaced relationshipthereto-on all sides to form an vrannular space for the flow Vof waterv therearound.' VFor 'the major portion of its length the 'extension is positioned axially in the passage 48and thedischarge end thereof terminates substantially on the level with the lower end of the trunkportion 42. vIt.ispreferredthatthe tubular extension 5I) form an integral part of the'body `I4 by casting it originally therewith. f.

d After a long period of. use, .the discharge-end ofthe tubular extension 50. may burn-out or deteriorate. To offset this, .the dischargeend Vof thetubular extension is provided with-aremovablesteam e1-,nozzle 52. AThe vlower-discharge ,end of the extension *50 is internallythreaded and ,the nozzle .52 iscorrespondingly .externally vextensiomand the outside dimension offthenozzle is substantially equal .to that Yof the-extension .Access to the nozzle 52 :for .replacement is ob- Y tained by disconnecting the body member I6'from the .trunk .portion 48.

.In order toprevent .backing rup-of steam in the water delivery. line .or water in the steam delivery line, Vandto assure efficientv opera-tion, check valves are provided at the connection vof these Alines to the .branches 4IB-.Tan'd-43. -'Ihe'check-valve The trunk portion 42 of .the body is -f .provided with an annular-.passage 48 which, as `shown in Eig. 2, communicates directly with theV the water line at 54h The-check .valves .54and parts. `inlet passages Il Vand 46 are provided with corre- -of water under pressure. .throughitheuniversal joint past the check'valve modatethe device'for this irregularity in installation, fztubular fittings are provided at the entrances to these passages which have a universal movement ...A-,feature of Ythis..invention-eis the .mountingofthe check valves in these vfittings to conserve space and vto reduce themovement of Asshownin Fig. 2, the steam and water spondingly formed universallyv movable fittings,

`comprisingsleeves .64 and 64 respectively. The

bottom endofeach sleeveis rounded atv66 or 66 to.form a ball joint,.and the mouths-of `the passages -IUI` and.46 are outwardly flared lto accommodate .these Yrounded .portions and make a .ground fluid-tight-fit therewith.` Threaded tothe endsof the branch, portions .40 and43iarevcollars 68....and63. respectively rwhich enclose -the ball .joint and clamp them -in position in a-manner that is well .understood r'Il'he `check Vvalvestruc- .tures previously `described-:are located inthe ball jjoint portions 0f the sleeve-and turn their-respec- .tive sleeves in any direction-itf'may swing.

The upper end of each sleeve 64 lamd64 Ais .externally threaded for receiving a :valvegtting 'I6 and 'I0' .respectively asshownin Fig. 1. These valve fittings are provided 'with `handles 'I2 and l2. for controlling the supply of fluid to the mix- .ing device.

An intermediate portion of each sleeve64 or v64' -isshaped Withva polygonal por- ...tion `"I4 or 14'- to Vfacilitate turning movement .thereof .by a wrenchor .other tool. V`68 Vandtll and valvefittings -10 and'l are simi- Y -larly provided with polygonal exterior portions The collars for the same purpose.

To prevent the valve seats 62 and-62' from loosening under rexpansion due to temperature changes, they may beheld: in place'in their respec- =tive universal joints by anysuitable meansforming4 a shoulder. Vthe left ofFig. 2, a short thin sleeve "I6 bridges As shownV inthe steam 4line at the spacebetween the Yvalve 'seat -62 and `the valve stem guiding support 58. This Vforms a shoulder abuttingthe-valve seat, and threaded -.adjustment of the Ysupport 58 will tighten the frone mixing unit, one or vthe other means for securing the valve `seat will ordinarily be used for-both r4valve'seats, but for the purpose of illus- `trating them both, one securing means has been shownffor the valve fseat 62 and the other shown forthe valve seat 62'.

In operation,1water is .introduced into'the valve fitting 'I0' by 'a line communicating with a source The waterV flows 54' and into the passage 46 vfrom which it flows into the annular space 48 surrounding the tubular extension 50. Steam, or hot water if desired, is introduced into the valve fitting 10 by a steam line communicating with a source of steam pressure. The check valve 54 opens to permit ow of the steam through the universal joint into the passage 44 and thence into the tubular extension 50. The steam is injected axially into the water stream as both iiuids enter the mixing chamber 34. The latter is greater in cross section than either the water or steam passages opening thereinto. The fluids mixed in the chamber 34 are discharged from the outlet 36 into the end of a hose connected thereto. Adjustment of the valve control handles 'l2 and 12 will regulate the proportions of the steam and water mixed together prior to delivery to the hose. The check valves as previously described will prevent backing up of either fluid into the delivery line of the other fluid.

As previously described, the bifurcated body member I4, including the tubular extension 50 in the interior thereof, is preferably formed of bronze and cast in the formation illustrated in the drawings. Similarly, the body member I6 forming the mixing chamber 34 is preferably a bronze casting. The hose rack rod I2 and the replaceable steam jet nozzle 52 may be formed of stainless steel. The movable check valve members 54-56 and 54-56 and their valve seats 62 and 62 may both be formed of stainless steel, or, alternately, of bronze and stainless steel, to provide dissimilar metals for each valve-head and its seat.

What we claim is:

1. A mixing unit comprising, in combination, a tubular body of bifurcated formation having in each bifurcated section thereof a passage extending therethrough and merging with the other passage into a common outlet at the juncture of the bifurcated sections thereof, means for delivering fluids of different characteristics to the outer ends of said passages for flow therethrough and for mixture at said common outlet, means for detachably connecting one end of a hose to said common outlet, and a universal joint having a check valve mounted therein positioned in the outer end of each of said passages.

2. A fluid mixing device comprising, in combination, a cast metal body of a generally Y-shaped configuration having a passage in the trunk portion thereof and a steam inlet passage in one of the branch portions thereof and a water inlet passage in the other branch portion thereof, said water inlet passage opening directly into the passage of said trunk portion, the branch portion having said steam inlet passage being provided with a tubular extension cast integrally with the body and projecting into the passage of the trunk portion to form a continuation of the steam inlet passage, said tubular extension having an outside dimension less than that of the trunk passage and arranged in spaced relation to the walls thereof with the discharge outlet of the extension substantially on the axis thereof, a tubular fitting mounted for universal movement in the upper extremity of each. of the branch portions and communicating with the passage therein, means for introducing steam under pressure into the tubular fitting communieating with said steam inlet passage, means for introducing water under pressure into said other tubular fitting communicating with said water inlet passage, and a check Valve in each of said tubular fittings preventing return flow of fluid.

WILLIAM C. JAEGLE. DIETRICK STRAI-IMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 156,228 Mathinet Oct. 27, 1874 953,330 Gordon Mar. 29, 1910 1,075,490 Osbourn Oct. 14, 1913 1,231,305 Shepherd June 26, 1917 1,244,818 Wirt Oct. 30, 1917 1,680,119 Schulder Aug. 7, 1928 1,903,085 Barnes Mar. 28, 1933 1,920,062 Casani July 25, 1933 1,929,854 Rogers Oct. 10, 1933 1,998,068 Barnes Apr. 16, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 48,482 Sweden Feb.. 2, 1921 63,014 Norway Nov. 18, 1940 498,834 Great Britain Jan. 16, 1939 

